Apparatus for applying hairconditioning fluids



F. G. LUDWIG July 3, I956 APPARATUS FOR APPLYING HAIR-CONDITIONINGFLUIDS Filed Aug. 27, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR FREPERlc 61L vpwmF. G. LUDWIG July 3, 1956 APPARATUS FOR APPLYING HAIR-CONDITIONINGFLUIDS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 27, 1953 INVENTOR. fiz'mmc G, L Upvvm2352,923 Patented July 3, 1956 APPARATUS FOR APPLYING HAIR- CUNDITIONINGFLUIDS Frederic G. Ludwig, Woodbridge, Conn. Application August 27,1953, Serial No. 376,893

9 Claims. (Cl. 132-41) This invention relates to a means for applyingfiuid preparations to the hair.

In home permanent kits now on the market, it is the general practice towind a tress of hair around a curler, whereupon the waving solution isdabbed onto the curled tress with a tuft of cotton. Since the curledtress should be saturated with the waving solution around the completecircumference thereof, it will be readily apparent that the method ofdabbing the solution with cotton is objectionable in many respects. Itis diflicult to saturate completely the entire circumference of thecurled hair, when attempting to do so without assistance of another.Furthermore, the waving solution is messy and may also be harmful to thescalp and skin.

It is accordingly a principal object of the present invention to providea device for applying fluid preparations to the hair which is neat, thedevice uniformly saturating the tress of hair about the completecircumference thereof and preventing the scalp of the subject and theskin of the operator from coming in contact with the fluids.

It is another object of the presentinvention to provide a device of theabove type which will materially lessen the number of operations ormovements of the operator or user when applying the fluid to the hair.

it is still another object of the present invention to provide a deviceof the above type which may be used by the individual herself to applythe fluid to the hair quickly, easily and efficiently without theassistance of an operator.

it is still another object of the present invention to provide a deviceof the above type which will apply the fluid preparation quickly andefliciently.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide a deviceof the above type which eliminates the need for cotton dabbing pads orthe like and which conserves the waving fluid, thus minimizing theamount of it required.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide a deviceof the above type which is readily portable and is suitable for theapplication of a wide variety of hair fluids to the hair.

Other objects of the present invention are to provide a device bearingthe above objects in mind which is of simple construction, inexpensiveto manufacture, has a minimum number of parts, is easy to use andefficient in operation.

For other objects and a better understanding of the invention, referencemay be had to the following detailed description taken in connectionwith the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a device for applying fluidpreparations to the hair embodying the features of the presentinvention;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view thereof;

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken along the line 3--3 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken along the line 44of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view showing a tress of hair wound upon astandard curler before application thereto of the invention;

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 4 showing application of the inventionto the tress and curler of Fig. 5; and

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary perspective view of the clamping means forming apart of the invention.

Referring now more in detail to the figures, in which similar referencenumerals identify corresponding parts through-out the several views, 10(Figs. 5 and 6) represents a tress of hair wound about a standard curler11 adjacent scalp 12 prior to application of the hair wavingpreparation. The curler 11 is of any standard construction and its useand construction will, therefore, not be described in detail.

In the practice or" my invention, a device for applying fluid hairpreparations, referred to collectively as 13, is provided and includes acontainer 14 of soft rubber, plastic or any other suitable synthetic ornatural material, substantially as illustrated.

It will be seen that the container 14 is rectangular in shape and isprovided with a three-sided mouth slit 15 extending across the frontwall 16 and along a portion of the side walls 17 and 18. The edges ofthe container 14 adjacent the mouth slit 15' are rolled upwardly anddownwardly, as shown in Fig. 3, for a purpose which will hereinafterbecome apparent.

A rectangular plastic wall 19 is secured within the container M (Fig. 4)in suitable manner adjacent the ends of the mouth slit 15, the center ofwall 19 being provided with a rectangular opening 21.

A pair of upper and lower pads 22 and 2.3, respectively, of foam rubberor other cellular resilient material are suitably secured within themouth of casing 14 adjacent the outer face of wall 19 (Figs. 3 and 4),the adjacent faces of the pads 22 and 23 being provided with cooperatingsemi-cylindrical openings 24 and 25 respectively. The adjacent faces ofthe pads 22 and 23 are also pro vided with cooperating rectangularopenings 26 and 27, respectively, communicating at one end with thesemicylindrical openings 24 and 25 and at the other end with the opening21 in wall 19.

As shown in Figs. 4 and 6, the inner faces of the container 14 areintegrally formed with a continuous ridge 28 which abuts the inner faceof the wall 19, the latter being cemented to ridge 28. The foam rubberpads 22 and 23 are also permanently cemented in place.

The container 14-, it will be noted, is semi-flexible and assumes theposition of Figure 6 when the inner compartment contains the hair wavingpreparation 29. The container 14-, it will also be noted, issufficiently rigid to avoid collapsing under its own weight and issufficiently flexible to prevent the fluid 29 from spilling by upwardbending when the mouth of the container 15 is open. Also, the container14 should be sufficiently flexible to permit the easy squeezing of theend portion surrounding the foam rubber pads 22 and 23 for a purposewhich will hereinafter become clear.

The mouth slit 15' is normally retained closed by a metal clampassembly, referred to collectively as 30 (Fig. 7), and including a pairof symmetrical clamp members 31 and 32, substantially as illustrated.

The clamping member 31 consists of a lateral portion 33 connected ateach end to a longitudinal portion 34. Each of the longitudinal portions34 are bent downwardly at right angles, at 35, and then bent parallel tothe lateral portion 33, as at 36, and continuing in second 1ongitudinalportions 37 parallel to, but displaced laterally from, the longitudinalportions 34. The longitudinal por- 3 tions 37 are bent upwardly, at 38,and continue rearwardly in intermediate portions 39. The intermediateportions 39 are bent upwardly, as at 40, and continue rearwardly inhandles 41 Connected at their ends by a ero'ss brace 42.

The clamp member 32 consists of a lateral portion "43 connected ateachend to longitudinal portions 44. The ends of portions '44 are "bentlaterally at right angles, as at 45, continuing rearwardly in portions'46 which are bent upwardly, as at 47, and looped around the lateralportions-36 of the clamping member 31. The clamping member 32 continues'rearwardly in second longitudinal portions 48 which are bent downwardlyas at 49. The downwardly bent portions 49 continue rearwardly inintermediate portions 50 which are bent downwardly, as at 51, andeontinu'e r'earwardlyin handle portions 5-2 connected'attheirends by alateral brace 53. Thus, the lower clamping nietnber32-is 'pivotallyconnected to the upper clamping nie'mb'e'r 31.

A pair of springs 54 sleeve each of the longitudinal portions 48, theforward ends of the springs 54 being integrally formed with downwardlyextending portions 55 connected at their lower ends by a cross brace 56.The other ends of the springs 48 continue downwardly and forwar dly inarc uate portions 57 passing below the springs 54 and being bentupwardly, as at 58, where they -a're looped around the longitudinalportions 34.

With the portion of container 14 underlying wall 19 resting on the crossbrace 56 (Fig. l) the lateral portions 33, 43 and the longitudinalportions 34, -44 of the clamping members 31 and 32 are snapped into therolled edges of the container 14 surrounding the mouth slit 15. Thus,the springs 54 will tend to retain the lateral portions 33, 43 and thelongitudinal portions 34, 44 in the-relationship shown in Fig. 7,bringing the rolled edges of the-container 14 surrounding mouth slit 15into closed engagement with-each other and pressing the adjacent facesof the foam rubber pads 22 and 23 together in an obvious manner. in thisrelationship, the pads 22 and 23, which are compressed horizontally, arealso compresse'd'vertically so that upon squeezing the handle bars 42and 53 together, the adjacent faces of the pads will expand somewhatagainst each other to minimize the egcape of liquid 29 from the openings24, 25, 26 and 2 in operation, the liquid 29 is poured intothe container14 through the mouthslit 15 and through opening 21 of the wall 19. Thehandle bars 42 and 53 are then pressed together to rotate the lateralportions 33, 43 and longitudinal portions 34, 44 away from each otherand to permit the hair tress wrapped around the curler 11 to be receivedwithin the cooperating openings 24 and 25, and retained therein uponrelease of the clamp assembly 30 (-Fig. 6). The end of the container 14remote from the cur-ler 11 is then raised and compressed, forcing thehair preparation 29 through the opening 21 into the cooperating openings26, 2'7 and then on to the tress 10. During this squeezing operation,the preparation will also be forced through the openings 26, 27 into thefoam rubber pads 22 and 23. The gentle squeezing of this end of thecontainer 14 is continued until the tresses 10 are saturated. The end ofthe container 14 is then lowered again, permitting excess preparation 29to flow rearwardly through the opening 21 in wall 19;

The top and bottom of the container 14 above and belowthe foam rubberpads 22 and 23 are then squeezed together between the fingers, thisoperation again soaking the tress 10 with preparation 29 in the pads.The excess solution againdrains rearwardly through the opening 21. Upon"releasing the top and bottom of the container 14 and the foam rubberpads 22 and 23, the latter will expand and draw up any of the fluid 29which failed to drain rearwardl The device 10 may now be re- 4 moved,the tress 10 having been thoroughly and uniformly saturated while at thesame time the scalp and fingers have been prevented-from coming incontact with the preparation. In this connection it will be noted thatwhen the tress 10 and curler 11 are removed through the mouth slit 15,the pads 22 and 23 will expand against each other to prevent escape ofany preparation 29 which might tend to run outwardly.

It will thus be seen that by means of the device 10 many advantages areprovided over the conventional method of utilizing a cotton pad whichhas proved messy and fails to saturate the hair uniformly andsufiiciently. It will be "apparent that with "the present device it willbe simple for persons to wave their own hair and to apply uniformly andwell the use preparation. The waving operation, it will be noted, hasalso been speeded up considerably. Furthermore, the container 14 willcontain much more fluid than the old cotton pads and it will be'apparentthatit'is no 'longerfreqiiir'ed to dip the pads into the fluidan excessive number of times.

The metal clamp members 31 and 32 as Well as the springs 54 are formedof a material which is unaffected by the 'hair preparation 29. Theeont'a'iner 14 and the wall 19, as well as the 2 and 23, are also formedor materialwliicli will 'n'o't'b'e infected by the hair preparatio'n'29.I

It willbe noted that under-the action of'springs 5-4 the container 14surrounding the mouth slit 15 will be sealed in a "liqu'ldpro'df manner.I

It should be apparent that the expanding pads 22 and 23 willefiectively'dr'aw up the preparation 29 which would normally run downthe subjects neck or scalp upon removing the device 10 trom'thec'urlerand hair.

It will also be apparentthat the application of the device 10' is notlimited to the preparation 29 having hair waving properties. Thus, thecontainer 14 may be filled with fluids having other properties, forexample, dyes for coloring the hair. Such fluids ac t either chemicallyor physically on the hair (or a combination of both) and may accordingto the particular fluid be applied either cold or but. if desired, asmall heating element, not shown, could be provided at the end ofcontainer 14 remote from the pads 22 and 23.

While various changes may be made in the detail construction, it shallbe-understood that su'ch'changes shall be within the spirit and scope ofthe present invention, as defined by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. Adevicefor applying fluids to hair wound around a curler comprising abody of cellular resilient material adapted to receive the hair andcurler there'within, spring means for normally retaining said cellularresilient body closed upon and in pressing contact with the hair andcurler, and integral container means for storing and supplying the fluidto the hair within said cellular resilient body.

2. A device according to claim 1, said container means comprising asemi-flexible container normally holding the hair prepaartion at oneend, the other end of said container having an opening, said cellularresilient body being disposed within said other endand within saidopening.

3. A device according to claim 2, said spring means comprising a clampassembly engaging the portions of said container surrounding saidopening, spring means for normally urging said clamp assemlby 'to ael'cssedpesition, and extensions provided on said clamp assembly foropenin the same manu'atty.

4. A device according to claim 1, said cellularresilient body materialcomprising foam rubber.

5. A device for applying fluids to hair wound around a cane: comprisinan elongated semi-flexible container, said container 'at one end havingan opening adapted to receive the curler there'tliiough, a body ofcellular resilient material positioned within said container adjacentsaid opening, said cellular resilient body being adapted to receive thecurler therewithin, and spring clamping means for normally retainingsaid container opening and cellular resilient body closed around thecurler and in pressing contact therewith, said container at its otherend holding the said fluids.

6. A device according to claim 5, including a wall abutting the innerend of said cellular resilient body, said Wall having an openingcommunicating with the curler through said cellular resilient body.

7. A device according to claim 5, said container opening extendingacross one end of said container and continuing along a portion of eachof the opposite longitudinal sides thereof, the edges of said containersurrounding said opening being rolled away from said opening, saidspring clamping means comprising a pair of symmetrical clamps, each ofsaid clamps having three sides adapted to be resiliently received withinthe rolled edges of said container surrounding said opening, said clampsbeing pivotally connected together, and spring means for urging theportions of said clamps within said rolled edges together.

8. A device according to claim 5, said cellular resilient bodycomprising a pair of upper and lower foam rubber pads having their inneradjacent faces aligned with said container opening, said pads on saidadjacent faces being provided with a pair of cooperating substantiallysemicylindrical openings adapted to receive the curler there- Within, awall abutting the inner ends of said pads, said wall having an openingtherethrough, the adjacent faces of said pads having second cooperatingopenings connecting said wall opening with said semi-circular openingsreceiving the curler.

9. A device for applying fluids to hair wound around a curler comprisinga body of cellular resilient material having a chamber adapted toreceive the hair and curler therewithin a semi-flexible container havinga chamber at one end receiving said body of cellular resilient material,the other end of said container holding the fluid and means connectingthe aforementioned two chambers.

Ackley Mar. 8, 1932 Caldora Aug. 13, 1940

1. A DEVICE FOR APPLYING FLUIDS TO HAIR WOUND AROUND A CURLER COMPRISING A BODY OF CELLULAR RESILIENT MATERIAL ADAPTED TO RECEIVE THE HAIR AND CURLER THEREWITHIN, SPRING MEANS FOR NORMALLY RETAINING SAID CELLULAR RESILIENT BODY CLOSED UPON AND IN PRESSING CONTACT WITH THE HAIR AND CURLER, AND INTEGRAL CONTAINER MEANS FOR STORING AND SUPPLYING THE FLUID TO THE HAIR WITHIN SAID CELLULAR RESILIENT BODY. 